Michael Fitzpatrick

Professor Michael Fitzpatrick is Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engineering, Environment, and Computing at Coventry University, and holds the Lloyd’s Register Foundation Chair of Structural Integrity and Systems Performance.

His research centres around the application of advanced experimental methods to materials engineering applications, particularly in the nuclear power and aerospace industries. He has published over 240 research papers. His group has a range of research projects assessing materials performance and structural integrity issues in collaboration with partners in industry and government research laboratories around the world.

His recent interests include the study of laser shock peening for life enhancement of aerospace and marine structures, and the development of novel structural concepts such as bonded crack retarders for improving airframe structural integrity.

He has been a user of the international neutron and synchrotron X-ray facilities for over 20 years, for the study of internal stress and damage development in metallic materials and components. He is a Non-Executive Director of Diamond Light Source Ltd, the UK’s synchrotron X-ray facility; and a Non-Executive Director of Feraru Dynamics Ltd, a University spin-out company developing novel technologies for improving personal safety in the workplace. He was the recipient of the Lidstone Medal of The Welding Institute in 2009, and the Tom Bell Surface Engineering Medal of the Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining in 2020.